Accredited official statistics

UK armed forces equipment and formations 2025

Published 30 October 2025

This is an annual publication which provides information on the numbers and types of equipment and formations of the UK armed forces. Equipment and formations statistics have been presented based on the UK armed forces areas: land, maritime and air. Also provided are data sourced from the Department for Transport (DfT) on militarily-useful British-registered vessels. The supplementary tables can be found here.

Data is provided as at 1 April each year (except DfT data which is as at 31 December each year).

1. Main Points and Trends

Maritime

In the UK armed forces at 1 April 2025, there were:

• 9 submarines

• 57 vessels in the Royal Navy Surface Fleet

• 13 vessels in the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.

Land

In the UK armed forces, there were 3,955 pieces of Combat Equipment at 1 April 2025, consisting of:

• 997 Armoured Personnel Carriers

• 1,903 Protected Mobility Vehicles

• 1,055 Armoured Fighting Vehicles.

Air

In the UK armed forces at 1 April 2025, there were:

• 504 Fixed-wing platforms

• 276 Rotary-wing platforms

• 180 Uncrewed Aircraft Systems.

Responsible Statistician: Analysis Publications Head of Branch

Further information or mailing list: Analysis-Publications@mod.gov.uk

More details on the methodology used in this report are included in the Background Quality Report

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2. Introduction

This is an annual publication which provides information on the numbers and types of equipment and formations of the UK armed forces. Equipment and formations statistics have been presented based on the UK armed forces areas: maritime, land and air. Statistics are also provided on militarily-useful British-registered vessels (including passenger, tanker and fishing vessels).

The term ‘equipment’ or ‘platform’ for the purposes of this publication refers collectively to vessels, submarines, vehicles, aircraft, artillery and engineering equipment pieces.   

Data have been obtained from various Ministry of Defence sources: Navy Command, Army Equipment Department, Army Organisation Branch, Air Command and Joint Helicopter Command (JHC). Data on militarily-useful British-registered vessels have been provided by the Department for Transport. Further information about the data sources and data quality can be found in the Background Quality Report

2.1 Accredited Official Statistics Publication

Accredited Official Statistics are called National Statistics in the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007. These Accredited Official Statistics were independently reviewed by the Office for Statistics Regulation in June 2013. They comply with the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics and should be labelled ‘Accredited Official Statistics’. Accreditation can be broadly interpreted to mean that the statistics:

• meet identified user needs;

• are well explained and readily accessible;

• are produced according to sound methods; and

• are managed impartially and objectively in the public interest.

Further information on the accreditation process can be found here Accredited Official Statistics

Once statistics have been designated as Accredited Official Statistics it is a statutory requirement that the Code of Practice shall continue to be observed. Further details about how this report has been developed since its confirmation as National Statistics (now called Accredited Official Statistics) can be found in the Background Quality Report.

Our statistical practice is regulated by the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR). OSR sets the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics that all producers of official statistics should adhere to.

You are welcome to contact us directly with any comments about how we meet these standards. Alternatively, you can contact OSR by emailing regulation@statistics.gov.uk or via the OSR website

3. Maritime Vessels and Additional Formations

This section provides the main findings on the UK armed forces maritime equipment, and additional Royal Navy formations.

3.1 Submarines

There were 9 submarines in the Royal Navy Submarine Service as at 1 April 2025, consisting of:

• 4 Ballistic Nuclear Submarines

• 5 Nuclear Submarines

Since 1 April 2024 HMS Triumph, a nuclear submarine, has been decommissioned. More information on this is available here.

3.2 Vessels

At 1 April 2025 there were 70 vessels in the UK armed forces, made up of 57 vessels in the Royal Navy Surface Fleet and 13 in the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA).

91% (52) of the Royal Navy Surface Fleet are in service. The vessels not counted as in service include: two Landing Platform Docks/Helicopters and three frigates that are decommissioning.

85% (11) of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary are in service. The vessels not counted as in service are two fleet tankers that have been designated for disposal.

Worksheet 1 in the supplementary tables provides further statistics on Maritime vessels and submarines

3.3 Maritime Formations

The Royal Navy has 16 Reserve Units and a Royal Navy Diving & Threat Exploitation Group consisting of 11 Units.

The Royal Marines consists of 10 units in the United Kingdom Commando Force (UKCF), 5 units in the Royal Marine Band Service, the commando Training Centre, and 4 Reserve Units.

Worksheet 2 in the supplementary tables provides further breakdowns of maritime formations (excluding the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm which are included in Table 9).

3.4 Militarily-useful British-registered vessels

Militarily-useful vessels are defined as vessels that could be requisitioned in appropriate circumstances in support of the UK armed forces.

The total number of passenger, tanker, and dry cargo merchant vessels has continued to decrease. From 475 as at 31 December 2023 to 452 as at 31 December 2024. This decrease is largely due to a reduction in Bulk Carrier vessels and Product and chemical tankers.

With the exception of large fishing vessels, figures for Militarily-useful British-registered vessels (fishing and specialist) could not be provided from 2022 onwards, this is due to a change in data supplier used by the DfT. Figures for large fishing vessels are available for all years excluding 2022 in Worksheet four in the supplementary tables.

For more information, please see the Background Quality Report

Worksheets 3 and 4 in the supplementary tables provide further breakdowns of militarily-useful British-registered vessels.

4. Land Equipment and Formations

This section provides the main findings on the UK armed forces Land equipment, and Army formations (excluding air components).

4.1 Land Equipment

For this edition Worksheet 5: Land Equipment of the UK Armed Forces in the supplementary tables has been expanded to be a more comprehensive list of all land equipment. This means the total and subtotals cannot be compared to previous years. Historic data is still available in previous editions. More details about this can be found in the Background Quality Report

There was a total of 3,955 pieces of Combat Equipment at 1 April 2025. Notable changes from last year include:

• Continued onboarding of Ajax

• Introduction of Boxer

• Reduction in Vikings due to gifting to the Ukraine

• Reduction of Bulldogs due to disposals

The most common types of land platforms (excluding Combat Support Equipment) in the UK armed forces continue to be:

• Bulldog (APC) – 738

• Warrior (AFV) – 604

• Jackal (PMV) - 480

As at 1 April 2025, the UK armed forces had 236 Artillery Vehicles. Notable changes from last year include: AS90 155mm Self-propelled guns have been gifted to the Ukraine, and Archer has been brought into service.

The UK armed forces also had 274 Combat Engineering Equipment, as at 1 April 2025.

At 1 April 2025, there were 15,170 pieces of Combat Support Equipment in the UK armed forces of which 45% were Wheeled Support Vehicles, this includes an increase of 500 Palletised Load System Trucks since 1 April 2024. The second largest category of combat support equipment continues to be Land Rovers at 39%.

Worksheet 5 in the supplementary tables provides further statistics on land equipment platforms.

4.2 Land Formations

The Army can be split into three main roles: Combat Forces, Combat Support Forces and Combat Service Support. Within each of these different roles sits a number of Regiments or Corps which are the key administrative components of the British Army. Regiments and Corps are the largest permanent organisational components and are made up of a number of units.

Combat Forces include the Infantry and Royal Armoured Corps. The numbers of units in Combat Forces has remained the same for the last 5 years. At 1 April 2025, there were 32 units in Regular Army Infantry Battalions, 16 units in Army Reserves Infantry Battalions, and 15 units in Royal Armoured Corps Regiments (11 Regular; 4 Reserves).

Combat Support Forces include the Royal Artillery, Royal Engineers, Royal Signals and the Intelligence Corps.

As at 1 April 2025, 1st Military Working Dog Regiment was recategorized to sit under the Royal Engineers instead of the Royal Army Medical Corps, resulting in an increase of one unit in the Royal Engineers.

Combat Service Support includes the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, Royal Logistic Corps, Royal Army Medical Corps and the Royal Military Police.

For 1 April 2025 the number of units in the Royal Logistic Corps and Royal Army Medical Corps has decreased. This is due to the merging of two reserve units in the Royal Logistics Corp and the recategorization of 1st Military Working Dog Regiment.

Outside of the three main roles detailed above; a number of units exists under different Head Quarters (HQ): NATO Corps HQ, Division /District HQ and Brigade HQ.

Brigade Head Quarters has increased by one for 1 April 2025 as a new Deep Recce Strike Brigade has been formed. HQ ASOB is now categorised as deployable.

Worksheet 6 in the supplementary tables provides further breakdowns of Army formations (excluding the Army Air Corps which are included in Table 9).

5. Air Equipment and Formations

This section provides the main findings on the UK armed forces air platforms, RAF formations and air components of the Royal Navy and Army, as at 1 April 2025.

5.1 Fixed-wing Aircraft (not including Uncrewed Aircraft Systems)

The UK armed forces had 504 Fixed-wing platforms at 1 April 2025, a decrease of 47 since 1 April 2024. This is largely due to disposal of surplus Hawk T1/T1A/T1W airframes from storage as part of the gradual managed drawdown of the fleet.

Typhoons are the most common type of Fixed-wing platform with 129 aircrafts at 1 April 2025, despite a decrease of 8 platforms as part of the initial managed drawdown of Tranche 1 Typhoons.

Of the 371 Fixed-wing aircraft (for which ‘in service’ figures are recorded), 304 (82%) are ‘in service’ compared to 71% in 2024. ‘In service’ figures are not available for platforms operated under contracts. ‘In service’ Fixed-wing platforms are all aircraft in active fleet management, which can include aircraft in storage.

5.2 Uncrewed Aircraft Systems

There were 180 Uncrewed Aircraft Systems as at 1 April 2025, a decrease of 3 since 1 April 2024. The platforms reported are those categorised as Certified or S2 as per Regulatory Article (RA) 1600: Remotely Piloted Air Systems (RPAS) Please see the Background Quality Report for more information.

5.3 Rotary-wing Aircraft

The UK armed forces had 276 Rotary-wing platforms at 1 April 2025, eight more than in 2024. This is largely due to an increase of Apache AH-64E platforms as they continue to be brought in to service.

Of the 240 Rotary-wing aircraft (for which ‘in service’ figures are recorded), 167 (70%) were in ‘service’ compared to 79% in 2024. This decrease is due to Pumas being withdrawn from service. The definition of ‘in service’ refers to those in the effective forward fleet. This definition differs slightly for aircraft owned by Navy Command.

Chinook are the most common type of Rotary-wing platform with 50 aircraft at 1 April 2025.

Worksheets 7 and 8 in the supplementary tables provide further Fixed-wing and Rotary-wing aircraft statistics.

5.4 Air Formations

At 1 April 2025, there were 104 squadrons in the Royal Air Force. The Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm consists of 15 squadrons and 4 Headquarters. The Army Air Corps incorporates 8 Regiments (7 Regular; 1 Reserve).

Worksheet 9 in the supplementary tables provides further breakdowns of Air formations.

6. Further Information

6.1 Definitions

Definitions and further information about the types and categories of UK armed forces equipment and formations can be found on each of the Services’ websites:

• Royal Navy and Royal Marines

• Army

• Royal Air Forces

Some definitions have been provided in the Glossary for additional information.

6.2 Rounding

All figures in this report are actuals and have not been rounded.

6.3 Revisions

Corrections to the published statistics will be made if errors are found, or if figures change as a result of improvements to methodology or changes to definitions. When making corrections, we will follow the Ministry of Defence Statistics Revisions and Corrections Policy. All corrected figures will be identified by the symbol “r”, and an explanation will be given of the reason for and size of the revision.

6.4 Contact Us

Defence Statistics welcome feedback on our statistical products. If you have any comments or questions about this publication or about our statistics in general, you can contact us as follows:

Email: Analysis-Publications@mod.gov.uk

If you require information which is not available within this or other available publications, you may wish to submit a Request for Information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to the Ministry of Defence. More information on this can be found on the GOV.UK website.

7. Glossary

Ballistic Nuclear Submarine - A Ship Submersible Ballistic Nuclear (SSBN) is a nuclear-armed, nuclear-powered submarine.

Combat Equipment - Collective term used for Protected Mobility Vehicles, Armoured Personnel Carriers and Armoured Fighting Vehicles.

In Service - The definition of ‘in service’ varies across equipment types and between services. To assist interpretation, a definition of ‘in service’ has been provided in the notes for each table where ‘in service’ figures have been used. Note that ‘in service’ figures are not available for platforms operated under contracts.

Militarily-useful British-registered vessels - Vessels that could be requisitioned in appropriate circumstances in support of the armed forces. It is required by international law for all merchant ships to be registered in a country, called its flag state. Flag refers to the country in which the ship is registered. Other types of ship might also be used in certain cases.  Foreign-flagged but British-owned ships could also be requisitioned in certain circumstances.

Nuclear submarine - A Ship Submersible Nuclear (SSN) is a conventionally armed, nuclear powered submarine.

Protected Mobility Vehicle - A wheeled Armoured Personnel Carrier serving as a military patrol, reconnaissance or security vehicle. Protected Mobility vehicles were developed in response to the threats of modern counter insurgency warfare, with an emphasis on Ambush Protection and Mine Resistance. Until recently these vehicles were termed ‘Protected Patrol Vehicles’.

Uncrewed Aircraft System - The platforms reported are those categorised as Certified or S2 as per Regulatory Article (RA) 1600: Remotely Piloted Air Systems (RPAS) Please see the Background Quality Report for more information.

Battalion – A Regimental sub-unit, comprising of between 500 and 1000 soldiers. It normally consists of a HQ and 3x Companies or Squadrons.

Brigade  – A formation consisting of 3 or more battalions.

Division  – A formation consisting of 3 or more brigades.

Corps  – A formation consisting of 2 or 3 Divisions.